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Cape Fear (1962)
My recent viewing of the 1946 thriller The Night of the Hunter motivated me to finally sit down and take in another great performance from the iconic Robert Mitchum...the original Cape Fear, a moody psychological thriller that works thanks to a consistently fascinating story and strong direction that creates Hitchcock-calibre suspense throughout.
The 1962 film stars Mitchum as Max Cady, a man who has been recently released from prison after eight years, who has come to the hometown of Sam Bowden (Gregory Peck), a lawyer who testified against him in the crime that got him put away, who not only immediately informs Bowden of his presence in town but begins paying a little too much attention to Bowden's wife, Peggy (Polly Bergen), and his daughter, Nancy (Lori Martin).
James R. Webb's screenplay, based on a novel by James McDonald, is a well-rounded story that doesn't just center on a psychopath terrorizing an innocent family, but also provides insight into the psychopath and the true motives behind his terrorizing this family, something I never really got with the 1991 Martin Scorsese remake.
The story is especially compelling because of this enigmatic character Max Cady, who establishes his penchant for evil minutes into the film, but what makes Max different from other movie psychos is that his evil is seamlessly blended with intelligence. This guy not only has a brain, but utilizes it during his incarceration studying the law which is what allowed him to get away with a lot of what he does. He knows exactly what lines he can cross and can't and stay within the law, which makes it appear like the screenplay is protecting the character, but the character is well-insulated because of his own intelligence. I was troubled as to why an intelligent guy like Cady would make such an obvious "tell" by beating up that girl he met in the bar. I guess this was supposed to establish for the viewer how dangerous Cady is, but it seemed to work against the character.
Director J. Lee Thompson is undeniably effective in creating a layer of suspense that pervades the proceedings and had me sitting on the edge of my seat for the entire running time. The film features exquisite black and white photography and Bernard Herrmann's music is perfection. Just as he was for The Night of the Hunter. Mitchum was again robbed of an Oscar nomination for his bone-chilling Max Cady, which is the backbone of this thriller. Peck is a sincere and square-jawed hero and Polly Bergen has never been better as Peggy Bowden, the terrified spouse who never looses her head. Martin Balsam, Jack Kruschen, and Telly Savalas (with hair), provide solid support and mention must be made of dancer Barrie Chase, who does a memorable turn as Cady's first victim.
Of course, Martin Scorsese remade this film in 1991 with Robert De Niro as Max Cady, Nick Nolte as Sam Bowden, and Jessica Lange as Bowden's wife. Scorsese did honor the original film by casting Mitchum, Peck, and Balsam in supporting roles, but I think this film is a little better than the remake thanks to subtler direction by J Lee Thompson and a more layered performance from the incredible Robert Mitchum.
My recent viewing of the 1946 thriller The Night of the Hunter motivated me to finally sit down and take in another great performance from the iconic Robert Mitchum...the original Cape Fear, a moody psychological thriller that works thanks to a consistently fascinating story and strong direction that creates Hitchcock-calibre suspense throughout.
The 1962 film stars Mitchum as Max Cady, a man who has been recently released from prison after eight years, who has come to the hometown of Sam Bowden (Gregory Peck), a lawyer who testified against him in the crime that got him put away, who not only immediately informs Bowden of his presence in town but begins paying a little too much attention to Bowden's wife, Peggy (Polly Bergen), and his daughter, Nancy (Lori Martin).
James R. Webb's screenplay, based on a novel by James McDonald, is a well-rounded story that doesn't just center on a psychopath terrorizing an innocent family, but also provides insight into the psychopath and the true motives behind his terrorizing this family, something I never really got with the 1991 Martin Scorsese remake.
The story is especially compelling because of this enigmatic character Max Cady, who establishes his penchant for evil minutes into the film, but what makes Max different from other movie psychos is that his evil is seamlessly blended with intelligence. This guy not only has a brain, but utilizes it during his incarceration studying the law which is what allowed him to get away with a lot of what he does. He knows exactly what lines he can cross and can't and stay within the law, which makes it appear like the screenplay is protecting the character, but the character is well-insulated because of his own intelligence. I was troubled as to why an intelligent guy like Cady would make such an obvious "tell" by beating up that girl he met in the bar. I guess this was supposed to establish for the viewer how dangerous Cady is, but it seemed to work against the character.
Director J. Lee Thompson is undeniably effective in creating a layer of suspense that pervades the proceedings and had me sitting on the edge of my seat for the entire running time. The film features exquisite black and white photography and Bernard Herrmann's music is perfection. Just as he was for The Night of the Hunter. Mitchum was again robbed of an Oscar nomination for his bone-chilling Max Cady, which is the backbone of this thriller. Peck is a sincere and square-jawed hero and Polly Bergen has never been better as Peggy Bowden, the terrified spouse who never looses her head. Martin Balsam, Jack Kruschen, and Telly Savalas (with hair), provide solid support and mention must be made of dancer Barrie Chase, who does a memorable turn as Cady's first victim.
Of course, Martin Scorsese remade this film in 1991 with Robert De Niro as Max Cady, Nick Nolte as Sam Bowden, and Jessica Lange as Bowden's wife. Scorsese did honor the original film by casting Mitchum, Peck, and Balsam in supporting roles, but I think this film is a little better than the remake thanks to subtler direction by J Lee Thompson and a more layered performance from the incredible Robert Mitchum.